In a decisive step to support state housing supply priorities and deliver on the community's call for more diverse housing options, Lismore City Council will investigate issuing dwelling entitlements to vacant rural lots with suitable building sites across the LGA, following a motion at this week's Ordinary Council meeting.
The approach has the potential to rapidly increase flood-free housing, using existing land and infrastructure while aligning with the Community Strategic Plan's focus on responsible planning and sustainable growth.
Moving the motion, Councillor Andrew Gordon said the proposal represented a practical and cost-effective way to increase housing supply without placing additional pressure on Council or ratepayers.
"This is about unlocking housing that already exists in our rural areas and doing it in a way that is financially responsible," Cr Gordon said.
"We have been making great progress in delivering desperately needed flood free housing for Lismore. New residential subdivisions are under construction across this city and many more Development Applications are in the pipeline," he said.
"However, we have vacant flood-free rural lots that already exist right across our LGA, without a dwelling entitlement. Without this entitlement the landowners cannot obtain approval to build a home with much of the property sitting vacant for decades.
"By enabling a dwelling entitlement for suitable, flood-free building sites, we can deliver more housing faster, without the cost and complexity of new subdivisions or major infrastructure investment."
"With this single decision we could deliver more flood-free housing potential than all the other residential subdivisions combined."
Council will now assess how dwelling entitlements could be applied in a way that protects rural character and environment while significantly expanding flood-free housing supply.
The proposal responds to the shared priority of all levels of government to increase housing supply quickly by removing unnecessary planning barriers and making better use of existing land.
If adopted, the model would demonstrate how local governments can play a decisive role in addressing the housing shortage, unlocking existing land, reducing infrastructure burden and delivering responsible outcomes the community has clearly asked for.
